Fish and flowers

I have been learning more about the natural world than I have for some time. This time it is first hand. Having a garden - a small one, no doubt - and wanting to have a go at enjoying some natural beauty means a measure of learning.
The lily plant has not flowered since the first lovely bloom! It is still very much alive but this must be a time of inner growth that will only manifest later......a waiting that requires patience and trust that something is happening although I cannot see the result - yet. The sakura plant on the other hand has blessed us with blooms every day. The small white flowers appear in the cool of the morning and wilt by mid afternoon.....
And as for rearing fish, I am learning - through several mistakes what it takes to keep them healthy....there have been quite a number of casualties among the first lot. Some of these were eaten by birds and some by neighbourhood cats (that also left their 'mark' in my garden a couple of times!!) I actually saw a beautiful bright blue bird reaching down into the water and then sitting on the wall and swallowing its catch. Now, I have bought hardier fish that perhaps will be able to survive my mistakes. After a few days, they were 'trained' enough to come to the surface for food when someone comes near, and I have placed netting over the fish tanks to prevent further predator attacks.
The world of nature is a slow one......no quick results, no instant products. The technological world has made the word 'instant' the key to life. When the internet connection is slow, I grow impatient, expecting efficiency and speed. The fish and flowers remind me that ultimately life is something no one can take full control of. There are seasons of obvious and rapid growth, but also seasons when all lies fallow and still. We live in built up cities so far away from the rhythm of nature. But a small plot of garden is healthy, bringing me back to listen to the creation that proclaims its Creator.